Oregon Sheriffs Oppose Drivers Cards for Illegal Immigrants

Oregon’s sheriffs have
voted overwhelmingly to oppose a ballot measure that would allow
undocumented immigrants to obtain drivers cards – and by extension car
insurance.

The law, passed last year by the Legislature and originally scheduled to go into effect this year,
would allow undocumented Oregonians to use the card to obtain insurance, but
not board planes, vote or buy a gun.

Republican representatives Kim Thatcher of Keizer and Sal
Esquivel of Medford joined Oregonians for Immigration Reform last spring in
launching a referendum to overturn the law. Once the necessary signatures were gathered, the new law was put on hold until voters decide on the November ballot.

Darrell Fuller, general manager of the Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association, wouldn’t disclose the
names of the his members who oppose the measure. Multnomah County Sheriff Dan Staton, running unopposed for reelection on the primary ballot,
said through a spokesman he abstained from the vote because he didn't have enough information at the time to make a decision.

Clatsop County
Sheriff Tom Bergin opposed the bill because he says it simply won’t improve the
rate of undocumented people obtaining insurance

“New Mexico has
done this for 11 years and the compliance rate was almost zero,” he tells WW.
“Once they allowed these cards, the insurance compliance didn’t work.”